Former Lord Mayor of Birmingham set for political comeback in Handsworth and Lozells

A FORMER Lord Mayor of Birmingham is set to make a political comeback a year after being dumped by his party in controversial circumstances.

A FORMER Lord Mayor of Birmingham is set to make a political comeback a year after being dumped by his party in controversial circumstances.

Mahmood Hussain, who became the city’s first Asian Lord Mayor in 2002, will stand for the Lozells and East Handsworth seat in May’s council elections.

He was selected as Labour’s candidate following a meeting of more than 200 party members, with party chiefs on hand to ensure fair play.

The result marked a huge turnaround in last year’s Lozells and East Handsworth selection contest when Mr Hussain was ousted in favour of Coun Waseem Zaffar following disputes over membership lists, threats of legal action and an intervention by national Labour Party executives.

Mr Hussain, who was first elected as councillor in Handsworth in 1996, said: “I am very pleased that the local Labour Party has shown confidence in me and I am looking forward to working with all the elected representatives to ensure a Labour victory.”

He paid tribute to Coun Don Brown, who is stepping down from the council seat in May, saying: “He has done a marvellous job and will be missed by the people.”

Behind the scenes there has been a feud with Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood which led to Mr Hussain’s de-selection last year in favour of the MP’s protege Coun Zaffar.

The two fell out over a number of issues, including their preferred choice of Labour candidate in the looming elected mayor contest.

Mr Mahmood was in the camp of former Erdington MP Sion Simon and Mr Hussain backed Sir Albert Bore, leader of the council’s Labour group.

But the Mail understands the dispute has now cooled and there will be no repeat of last year’s legal wrangles.

Mr Hussain was publically named and shamed in 1999 for bringing the council into disrepute after putting up a double garage on land he bought from the council, contravening a legal covenant banning building. He said he was naive, had made a mistake and bought out the covenant for £5,000.